Portrait of Benjamin Fillon, Writer and Historian 1862

Charles Meryon made this etching, “Portrait of Benjamin Fillon, Writer and Historian,” now at the Art Institute of Chicago. The composition immediately strikes us with its stark contrast. The subject's head and shoulders are rendered with careful detail within a small rectangle surrounded by a vast expanse of blank space, a void that seems to amplify the sitter's presence. The artist's precise etching technique creates fine lines to model Fillon’s features, capturing a sense of depth and character. This formal contrast between detail and void prompts us to consider the relationship between the individual and their context. The image, isolated in the composition, could be a study of the self, separated from worldly concerns and placed in dialogue with its surroundings. Meryon challenges our understanding of portraiture as a mere representation of likeness. Instead, he uses formal elements to create a work that is both a study of character and a reflection on the nature of existence.